Havelock sweeps pair of games to tie for fourth in league

Tuesday

After watching her team pound out 18 hits and two home runs, Havelock softball coach Anna Spear didn’t want to talk about her team’s hitting in a 14-3 victory over West Carteret Tuesday.

After watching her team pound out 18 hits and two home runs, Havelock softball coach Anna Spear didn’t want to talk about her team’s hitting in a 14-3 victory over West Carteret Tuesday.

“I don’t want to jinx it,” she said. “We had a long dry spell. It was like somebody turned on the faucet. It was nice to see some sweet swings.”

With the victory over West Carteret and an earlier 10-0 victory over Jacksonville in the first game of a unique double header at Havelock High, the Rams (12-9, 7-7) tied West Craven for fourth place in the Coastal 3A Conference. Both teams made the postseason, and a coin flip was expected to determine seeding for the state playoffs, which are scheduled to start Friday.

Against the Patriots, Havelock started early with senior Abby Clark’s double, a sacrifice bunt from senior Malorie Rowe, and a two-run home run from senior Mercedes Hargett.

“Those three are unforgettable,” Spear said of her seniors. “They have such a passion for the game and for life.”

Taylor Forehand proved potent at the plate for the Rams. She had an RBI single in the first, a two-run double in the second and a three-run home run in the fifth, her first career home run. She was 3-for-4 with six RBIs for the contest. She also pitched the final two innings, giving up three runs on one hit and striking out one.

Emily Bowman had an RBI single in the first as the Rams led 4-0. Havelock expanded the lead to 7-0 in the second on Forehand’s double after Clark singled and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

Mikala Roberts had an RBI single, and Rowe smacked in two more runs with a single as Havelock led 10-0 after three innings.

Samantha Howell had three hits for the Rams, and Hargett contributed a suicide squeeze bunt to drive in a run before Forehand’s blast over the left-field fence in the fifth.

Hargett got the victory on the mound, pitching three innings with four strikeouts.

Hargett also got the victory on the hill in the 10-0 victory over Jacksonville, throwing three hitless innings with four strikeouts. Ashlynn Gosnell pitched the final two frames, giving up a lone hit while striking out two.

The Rams got just one hit in the contest, that coming off the bat of Niesha Nolan, but took advantage of 14 walks and a variety of wild pitches and passed balls to score runs. Havelock scored eight runs in the second on Nolan’s hit and nine walks.